TOGETHER WITH A REPLY TO THE TEXTS QUOTED IN DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINES
OF MEN
To all who read or hear this little book may God grant grace and
understanding. Amen.
I, Martin Luther, have published this brief book for the comfort and
saving of the poor consciences which are by the law of men held in
bondage in monasteries and convents; that they may be able to arm and
strengthen themselves with the Word of God, so as to be steadfast in
the pains of death and other trials. But those who are overbold and
unruly, who give no other evidence of being Christians except that
they can eat eggs, meat and milk, stay away from confession and break
the images, etc.,--these I warn that I do not wish my words to help
them. For I regard them as the filthy people who defiled the camp of
Israel [Deut. 23:12 f.], although such cleanliness was enjoined upon
the people that a man was required to go outside the camp to ease
himself and to cover up with earth that which came from him. We also
must endure these unclean lapwings in our nest [Deut. 14:18, Lev.
11:19], until God teach them manners. This Christian liberty I would
have preached only to poor, humble, captive consciences, so that poor
children, nuns and monks, who would like to escape from their bondage
may inform their consciences how they may do so with God's approval
and without danger, and use their freedom in an orderly and Christian
way. May God grant His blessing. Amen.
_That the doctrines of men are to be rejected: proof from the
Scriptures_.
I
Moses in Deuteronomy iv, 2 says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which
I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it," [Deut. 4:2]
But some one will say that Moses speaks only of his word; but to the
books of Moses there have also been added many books of the prophets
and the entire New Testament. I answer: True; but nothing new has been
added: the same things that are found in the books of Moses are found
in the others. For the other books do no more than show how in the
course of history the word of Moses was kept or not kept. It is indeed
stated in different words and the histories are different, but
thoughout there is one and the same teaching. And here we can
challenge them to point out anywhere in all the books added to the
books of Moses a single word that is not found earlier in the books of
Moses. For it is beyond question that all the Scriptures point to
Christ alone. Now Christ says, in John V, 46, "Moses wrote of me."
[John 5:46] Therefore everything that is in the other books is also in
the books of Moses, and these are the original documents.